Q: 

What concealers do you recommend for under eye? And should they be different from concealing an acne mark?

A:

Between all of the different formulas and shades I think I carry well over 100 different concealers in my work kit. This is because they are all slightly different and frankly there are so many different needs for concealers. I also work with many different people - and I like to be prepared - but obviously you just need to find one or two that are perfect for you.

Let’s start with covering spots or post-inflammation hyperpigmentation (ie: the dark spot you have after a pimple heals). 

If you’re concealing a pimple you’ll want the concealer to be a bit stickier and definitely not luminous. A drier cream concealer such as the Spot Stick Concealer by Jillian Dempsey will adhere to the offending area and stay put longer, especially if it’s very raised and the skin is a little stretched. Most liquid or cream concealers will slide right off it. You’ll want this concealer to be matte and closely match your foundation color since it’s about concealing the blemish and making it disappear. Also be sure to use powder on top of the concealer so it’s set and lasts as long as possible. 

For post-inflammation hyperpigmentation, I recommend the ZitSticka Goo Getter. You can use a variety of concealers; creamy, liquid, dry, whatever works best for your skin. I will say if you wear foundation, match the concealer finish to the foundation finish meaning that if your foundation is matte, don’t use a radiant concealer and vice versa. You want to “marry” the areas together so they’re seamless, and mixing mattes and luminizing formulas will break that illusion.

Under the eyes is a whole different ballgame. (This will be the only sports metaphor I ever use, just so you know). The area under the eyes can be lighter, darker, grayer, more blue, more purple, more brown, puffier or more sunken than other parts of the face. Add fine lines or deep wrinkles to the equation and you have a recipe for a very long reply from me. But in a nutshell, the concealer you use under the eyes is most likely not going to be the concealer you use for pimples, especially as you get older and the skin gets thinner and it becomes more about color correcting.

Let’s start with formula. A gently, and I mean gently, luminous under eye concealer like Sisley's Stylo Lumiere can do wonders. It can softly reflect and diffuse light adding a blurring, light reflecting radiance to the area. However, if you have a very puffy under eye area, I would avoid anything light reflective as it will make the area feel more prominent.

Brush shape matters as different shapes and densities apply product differently. For the under eye area I prefer to use a wide, flat, tapered brush. This lets me lay down concealer with precision while also perfectly blending out the product to the surrounding skin.

I often do color correcting under the eye to lighten and brighten. Peach is great for knocking out blue/purple under the eye (often the area directly under the inner corner of the eye and along the sides of the nose next to the inner eye have a blueish cast) and I use colors that lean more orange for skin tones that are warmer and deeper. The orange brightens without looking gray or ashy and can even out areas under the eyes, around the mouth etc. It’s a great trick, especially if you have darkness around the mouth and chin area. For very rich, deep skin tones, you’ll want to use an almost red shade to brighten and then layer your foundation on top of that. You’ll still want to use a concealer that matches or is slightly lighter than you overall skin tone, but using a color correcting concealer - and using it correctly - will change your life.

Let me use myself as an example. I wear little to no foundation in my daily life but under my eyes the skin is lighter and has a slight blue cast with a few brownish areas which can make me look tired even after a full 8 hours of sleep. I use a slightly golden concealer under my eyes to “connect” the skin on my face to the skin under my eyes. Anything too peachy looks too pale as I have ruddy undertones, so I need colors that have more yellow/gold than peach. Complicated, for sure. It involves some trial and error until you find your holy grail product, but when you do, you’ll be thrilled with the results.

I hesitate to recommend particular products because I find the right formula to be pretty specific for each persons needs but I will recommend a few that I think are worth researching.

• For undereye: Sisley Stylo Lumière
• For under eye color correction: Sisely Photo Cernes Éclat & Fenty Bright Fix Eye Brightener
• For light concealing: Radiant Creamy Concealers from NARS & Pro Filt’r from Fenty
• For flat spot concealing: MILK Future Fluid All Over Cream Concealer
• For raised pimple concealing: Jillian Dempsey Spot Stick Concealer & Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage Concealer

Concealer is one of those products that you’ll have some trial and error with. And what works for you in your 20’s & 30’s will be different than what you need in your 50’s & 60’s so be prepared to experiment until you find what’s just right for you. But it’s a job that worth doing the research for as the results truly make a difference.

I hope you enjoyed the latest installment of Beauty Lessons. Don’t forget to send a note to tellmemore@shopreedclarke.com to have your burning beauty questions answered.

Until next month,